Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of posts that have been decentralised as part of the current decentralisation programme with respect to his Department and agencies; the cost of mileage and overtime paid with respect to the holders of these posts in the year prior to decentralisation and the year after decentralisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34720/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's Headquarters, will decentralise to Limerick. Good progress has been made and personnel have either been assigned to, or identified for, 103 posts or approximately 83% of the 124 posts scheduled to be decentralised. An advance party of 55 staff decentralised to interim office premises in Limerick at the end of May 2007. The remainder will move on a phased basis during the first half of 2008 on completion and fit-out of the permanent premises in Henry Street.

The cost of mileage paid to the holders of the 55 posts that have already decentralised, in the 12 month period from May 2006 to May 2007, was €2,645. The corresponding amount paid from May 2007 to date was €21,033. The increase in mileage costs since May 2007 is mainly due to travel between the interim office in Limerick and the existing Headquarters in Dublin. It is expected that such mileage costs will be reduced considerably following the transfer of the remaining staff of Irish Aid in 2008.

The amount of overtime paid to the holders of these 55 posts in the twelve month period from 1 June 2006 to 31 May 2007 was €15, 781. The amount of overtime paid since 1 June 2007 to the end of November 2007 was €11,388. Overtime incurred in preparing for the advance move in May is included in the amount for this latter period.